Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), comprising multiple concentric shells and termed multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs), were discovered by Iijima in 1991 [Iijima, Nature 1991, 354, 56-58]. Subsequent to this discovery, single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), comprising single graphene sheets rolled up on themselves to form cylindrical tubes with nanoscale diameters, were synthesized in an arc-discharge process using carbon electrodes doped with transition metals [Iijima et al., Nature 1993, 363, 603-605; and Bethune et al., Nature 1993, 363, 605-607]. These carbon nanotubes (especially SWNTs) possess unique mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical properties, and such properties make them attractive for a wide variety of applications. See Baughman et al., Science, 2002, 297, 787-792.
The proclivity of SWNTs to bundle into ropes is well established [Thess et al., Science, 1996, 273, 483-487]. More recently, macroscopic fibers have been spun from dispersions of such SWNTs and SWNT ropes [Ericson et al., Science, 2004, 305, 1447-1450]. Dry-spun fibers of MWNTs have also been reported [Zhang et al., Science, 2004, 306, 1358-1361]. In addition, both MWNTs and SWNTs can be grown as vertically-aligned films [Ren et al., Science, 1998, 282, 1105-1107; Hata et al., Science, 2004, 306, 1362-1364].
Notwithstanding continuing advances in the production of CNT fibers, efforts to incorporate such CNT fibers into electronic and other devices and structures will likely benefit from the ability to polish and/or pattern the fiber ends, and a convenient method of doing so would be quite beneficial.